The top United States romantic vacation destinations and getaways are places where you will find scenic canyons, mountains, and ocean side lodging where you can revitalize your love life. These are destinations in a tranquil setting where you can roam the sights at your own pace doing some sightseeing, cycling, or taking a hot air balloon ride. Enjoy intimate romantic experiences where you can unwind and relax at a spa with a couples massage followed by an intimate, romantic dinner.
California
The Wine Country
This region of Napa and Sonoma Valley just north of San Francisco offers romantic couples a perfect combination A pitch-perfect mix of wineries, charming hotels and spas, and tranquil scenic beauty. Your romantic getaway can be enjoyed by a leisure car trip though the valley, or better yet by cycling through vast vineyards. Add a sunrise hot air balloon ride and you have the perfect romantic getaway.
Where Napa Valley is smaller, it’s also more commercial than the laid back Sonoma, whose vineyards cover far more acreage.
Check in at Auberge du Soleil Spa situated on a picture-perfect 33-acre hillside olive grove, with made-for-couples rooms with a large stone fireplace and a private hot tub. Take in the sweeping views of the valley below, or take advantage of the relaxing 7,000-square-foot spa.
Or check in at the intimate Poetry Inn and Spa perched on a hillside in the Stags Leap wine district offering staggering views on the Napa Valley. Guests can enjoy a massage in the open air, sip a cabernet on a private terrace, or simply lounging by the pool. The amenities include large rooms with private balconies, marble bathrooms with dual vanities, a large soaking tub, both an indoor and an outdoor shower with rain shower headset, and wood-burning fireplaces.
Big Sur
Two and half hours south of from San Francisco, you can get-away on a romantic journey with breathtaking views of rocky ocean cliffs hugged by pine and cypress trees. For the more active, you can enjoy the scenery by trekking to the McWay waterfalls by taking a short quarter mile long hike, 80 feet above sea level down the Overlook Trail in Julia Pfeiffer State Park.
Check in at the Post Ranch Inn and Spa hugging the rugged cliffs of Big Sur. The accommodations are luxurious with a romantic setting that offers a choice of either an ocean or mountain-view, wood-burning fireplaces, indoor or outdoor spa tubs, and private decks. Couples messages are also available. Its located close to nature and the charming villages of Monterey and Carmel.
Santa Barbara
Often referred to as the “American Riviera” it boasts a perfect climate with plenty of sun, surf, fine dining, great wineries and a rich dose of Spanish heritage history. Downtown Santa Barbara is perfect for lazy strolls with a loved one. Pamper yourself and someone special in Santa Barbara. Give yourselves over to the care of luxurious spas, take a day trip though California’s “other” wine country, taste the pleasures of world-class dining by candlelight or treat yourself to unique shopping experiences.
Check in at the Simpson House Inn. This Southern California romantic getaway is an elegant 1874 Eastlake home, with period Victorian antiques. Secluded within an acre of tall hedges, stone walls, lawn and gardens, a five minute walk from downtown Santa Barbara, you can pamper yourself with one of their many in-room European spa services. For the more active, the inn provides bicycles to cruise around historic, beautiful Santa Barbara, or you can take a mountain hikes. For the less active, take a leisurely beach walk or just relax with a book in the garden.
Charleston, South Carolina
An historic a romantic destination at the waterfront of Charleston’s Historic District, you will experience a profound sense of time and place. You’ll glimpse the sails in Charleston Harbor and the Ashley River, and you might even detect the fragrant salt air of the Atlantic Ocean. Charleston is all about history. Cobblestone streets and walkways wind past architectural treasures and under moss-draped oaks. The cemeteries are particularly lovely and tell quite a tale on their own. Take a guided walking tour, the one that departs from Charleston Place hotel is led by a 40-year resident and history buff who is writing a book about the city’s cemeteries. Or take a horse-drawn carriage ride, you’ll hear more tales but you can just snuggle in the back and enjoy the views.
Check in at Two Meeting Street Inn, An acclaimed, charming white Victorian mansion overlooking prestigious South Battery at White Point Gardens .Enjoy the sea breezes while gazing upon century-old live oaks and the Charleston Harbor beyond. The Inn’s sweeping vista is perfect for an intimate conversation, a courtyard breakfast or sumptuous afternoon tea. Summertime is the ideal time to enjoy peach iced tea or lemonade and spend the day relaxing on the porch, watching the water. They offer a hot southern breakfast in their dining room, on the piazza or garden, or delivered to your suite.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Located on Mount Desert Island, is a picturesque village along the rocky coast of Maine with charming shop, restaurants, and marinas with fishing and pleasure boats. For hiking and biking enthusiasts, the nearby Acadia National Park with its granite peaks, one of which is the tallest mountain on the East Coast and the first spot in the United States to see the sun rise. From Bar Harbor, there are many whale watching boast and a high-speed ferries to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada. Although summer is the most popular time to visit, many people flock to the area in autumn to enjoy the brilliant colors of fall foliage and get a jump on Christmas gift purchasing.
Check in at The Harbor side Hotel, Spa & Marina. This is a luxury resort facility nestled in downtown Bar Harbor, and just moments away from Acadia National Park. The Harbor side offers breathtaking views of Frenchman’s Bay and ocean beyond is a perfect destination for a romantic getaways. Guests can enjoy the Dining & Spa amenities of the adjacent Bar Harbor Club
Sedona, Arizona
The majestic red rock formations of Northern Arizona’s Boynton Canyon are an impressive backdrop to any romantic getaway. Sedona also is known for its spiritual vortex, and its healing opportunities, and to experience sage clearings to release negativity or share spiritual ceremonies in the crystal grotto. For active romantics, the beautiful red landscape can be taken in by jeep tours, horseback riding, hot-air balloon rides, and hiking.
Check in at the Enchantment Resort set amongst the impressive red rock configurations of Boynton Canyon in Sedona, where solitude and colorful sun sets can be viewed amongst the area’s famous red rocks. Romantics will experience the luxurious couples Ayurvedic treatments at the Mii amo Spa including massage therapy, spiritual healing treatments, and psychic massages.
Or stay at The L’Auberge de Sedona, in Oak Creek Canyon, in the heart of Red Rock country, on the banks of Oak Creek. Enjoy a romantic brook side dinner for two, and a spa treatment to embrace your senses, relax tense muscles and give you a new outlook on your day. They offer services to create a unique sense of intimacy and offer very personalized attention. You can experience your treatment in your cottage or enjoy the Spa Cabana creek side.
Frank Dalotto is a freelance writer and travel consultant. His specialty is writing articles about New Jersey leisure travel and soft adventure travel. Frank is the publisher of New Jersey Leisure Guide and Soft Adventure Tourism
